Where wanders the earth’s magnetic field?

The earth’s magnetic field protects it from cosmic radiation, for the migratory birds in orientation and shows the direction. But the magnetic field moves – faster-than-expected. Current calculations are due to the U.S. Shutdown is impossible.

Geophysicists expect in different periods of time: A few weeks are geologically not even a blink of an eye. Actually, at 15. January 2019 finally updated the “World Magnetic Model”, but due to the Government Shutdown in the United States will continue the publication of the calculation model for a couple of weeks. The researchers will have to wait.

The World Magnetic Model (WMM) is actually edited together from the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) of the United States and the British Geological Survey (BGS), and every five years updated. But the NGDC Website is not accessible. It was turned off due to “lack of funds”, it says. The current model version was created in 2015 and is supposed to apply until 2020. But the current model is front and rear not more, because the magnetic Pole moves always faster.

Even at the beginning of the century he was in the vicinity of the northeast passage in Canada. Now he is much further North almost near the geographic North pole. He moves surprisingly quickly in the direction of Siberia, a year of about 30-50 km. This is about three times as fast as 100 years ago. In the past year, he crossed the international date line in the direction of the Eastern hemisphere.

More: field lines in the satellite view

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As the earth’s magnetic field protects it from cosmic radiation

More important than the location of the magnetic North pole is that the earth’s magnetic field since the beginning of the records became 175 years ago to ten percent weaker, even here, the reasons are unclear. For the life on earth is, however, less decisive, where the respective magnetic poles are, but how strong they are.

A weak earth’s magnetic field not only makes it difficult for the migratory birds, the orientation. A strong magnetic field of the earth protects the earth from the aggressive cosmic radiation and solar winds. In the case of a weak magnetic field of the contactor is reduced at the end of the ozone layer and the harmful UV rays to penetrate, especially in the polar regions is easier.

Also the geostationary satellites are protected in the case of a weak magnetic field of the earth less. Radiation or particles from space could you reset considerably and the communication to massively restrict.

More: solar storms – the threat from the All

A weak earth’s magnetic field not only makes it difficult for the migratory birds, the orientation

A possible polarity inversion, the geophysicist debated stimulated in the past year, on average, a pole shift happens all of the 200,000 to 300,000 years. The last pole shift took place, however, prior to 780,000 years ago. As I said, a geophysicist spaces count in quite a different time.

A stir in one Chinese study, according to the last polarity inversion at the beginning of the last ice age took place relatively quickly – provided in the past year, namely, in only 144 years. So far, the researchers assumed that a page it takes several hundred years.

The Chinese researchers had studied stalagmites in limestone caves, and the fluctuations of the magnetic field can be detected. In front of as many as 98,000 years, not a pole shift took place, however, but only a so-called “excursion”, a temporary weakening of the magnetic field before the magnetic field is then collapsed completely.

More: A Golden age for the magnetic field, researchers will begin

Also, navigation systems and Smartphones with magnetic field sensors are dependent on a correct model

For a more accurate calculation a correct World Magnetic Model (WMM), however, is urgently needed. The geomagnetic model but not only scientists, but also the numerous national and international service providers, which give about the ship traffic orientation. Nautical charts, navigation systems and Smartphones with magnetic field sensors, so virtually all devices with Android or iOS operating system, are dependent on a correct model.

The model delivers the world’s declination (also: Ortsmissweisung), so the angle between the direction to magnetic and geographic North pole. This angle changes the stronger, the further North and in particular in the case of the Navigation with the compass is taken into account. In addition, the WMM also describes the earth’s magnetic field for an area of one kilometre below the earth’s surface up to an altitude of 850 kilometers.

Auroras: charged particles of the solar wind will ionize oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the atmosphere near the poles.

The earth’s magnetic field is created deep down in the earth’s interior, where huge currents of molten iron moving at the boundary between earth’s core and mantle. These currents generate the magnetic field. If these currents change by a tectonic plates of the earth shift, or slow down, the earth’s magnetic field.

More clarity on the situation and intensity of the earth’s magnetic field, there will be probably only when the political parties to the conflict in the United States settle their earthly conflicts and the now pretty inaccurate World Magnetic Model is placed after the Shutdown again to the latest version.

When the sun breaks out

It is a spectacular spectacle of nature is always bubbling when the sun starts. Currently, the sun rises in activity and thus also the number of sun storms again huge. The consequences can also get we feel on earth.

When the sun breaks out

Solar flares often result from large sun spots. They are cooler and emit therefore less visible light than the rest of the sun’s surface. The dark areas are caused by local disturbances in the enormous magnetic field of the sun.

When the sun breaks out

Polar lights, storms, as a consequence of the sun. The impingement of the charged particles of the solar wind on the earth’s atmosphere is used as a fluorescent light is visible. Green or red, something rare, even in blue or purple.

When the sun breaks out

The further a Planet is away, the less the impact of the solar storm. With us on the earth – about 150 million kilometres from the sun – can he lead, in the worst case to power outages.